Pee Dee dancers win big at competition

By Nicholas Hilbourn
Arts and Entertainment Writer
Published: July 14, 2008

Students at Florence dance school ShowBiz Studio have reason to jump for joy after walking away as the Super Grand National Champions at the June 26-29 Dance Machine Productions Inc. National Dance Champtionships in Wilkesboro, N.C.

“When my students entered the stage and performed, I was proud. Their performance was superb, simply superb,” ShowBiz Studio instructor Tina Hatchcock said.

The competition consisted of group and solo dancing in various disciplines of dance, including ballet, tap and jazz.

The Super Grand National Championship was chosen from the group competition.

In solo competitions, dancers were judged through participation in dance audition classes, personal interviews and a stage performance.

ShowBiz students performed well in the solo competitions. There were top finishes in the competitions for “America’s Tiny Miss Dance” and “America’s Junior Miss Dance” with 14-year-old Caroline Byrd of Darlington taking home the title of “America’s Teen Miss Dance 2009” and 19-year-old Casey Anderson of Effingham receiving the title of “Miss Dance USA 2009.”

Hatchcock said the students’ performance at the competition was because of years of practice.

“This is not some overnight thing,” she said. “It’s an educational process (and) it takes years to get to the level they’re at.”

The self-esteem garnered from the competition is one of the best results from the June competition, Hatchcock said.

“Being a young teen is a difficult age,” she said, “and (the competition) gives the girls a sense of pride in themselves. Whether a child is taking dance for fun or fame, it is important for them to feel accomplished in their efforts (and) it has meant so much to (my students) to see their hard work blossom.”